PS I Love You
by Theodora Snowbird
Summary: Astoria knew she was dying and couldn't bare the thought of leaving Draco alone. So she hired a surrogate, only letting Draco know on her deathbed. Katherine Potter's pregnant with their baby. FEM!Harry/Draco
1. The Letter

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

 **I know! Another story! But not to worry. This is already complete. It's a short story, but I want it all up for Mother's Day May 13** **th** **! I'll update weekly, although I'll probably skip the last week of April. I always get busy on my birthday. ;)**

Chapter 1 The Letter

"You're going to be alright," Astoria told him with the last of her strength. Her grip on Draco's hand was strong, like she could hold onto life if only she could hold onto him. She didn't look afraid though, merely sad. "I promise."

"Shhh." Draco didn't bother to wipe his tears away, even though he didn't want her to see. Her pain was past what potions could do for her, so he forced himself to say, "You can go, Astoria. I love you."

But she wasn't ready yet. She had one last thing to tell him. "I wrote you a letter. In the room next to ours. Promise me you'll read it?"

"I promise," Draco whispered. "I love you." Soon, she'd never be able to hear him say it again.

Astoria's dying words were, "I love you too."

* * *

Draco hated the room next to theirs. Next to his. Astoria had several miscarriages before they found out about the curse. She insisted on keeping the nursery she designed because she had never given up hope. In fact, she put her letter to him in the crib. He stared at it for a long time, wondering why she put it there. It only reminded him of what they had lost and now would never have. Finally, after nearly an hour, he had the courage to open it.

 _My Darling Draco,_

 _I love you, and I always hoped we would have a family. I could write pages and pages about what I wanted us to have. You gave up so much for me._

 _It wasn't fair. None of this was. I should be writing a goodbye letter to you fifty, no a hundred years from now. We should have had more than a handful of years._

 _Over the past year, I joined a support group for grief. I suppose I was grieving for my own life, but I found myself telling everyone I was a widow. That's how unable I have been to accept my own death. Now, I feel as though I have lied to my best friends. You and another confidant I made in the group._

 _But I had to do it. I couldn't leave you like this, alone, miserable, without something to look forward to. I had to give you something._

 _So I asked my other best friend to be a surrogate for me. I used the sample you gave to the fertility clinic before we found out about the curse and an egg that I had frozen when there was still hope that the curse could be broken. She thought that I wanted a child from my dead husband. You thought I was spending a few days a week with Daphne._

 _Enclosed is her address. Please forgive me. I wanted this for us, but I am leaving it for you._

 _Love,_

 _Astoria_

With each word, Draco felt more shell shocked. His ears started to ring as he looked at the address. Astoria wouldn't do something like this. She wasn't sneaky or manipulative. She wasn't a liar.

Draco's hands started to shake as he watched the parchment wrinkle in his hands. What was he going to do?

* * *

A week went by before he found the courage to apparate to the address. Whoever she was, she lived in a tiny house in Cokeworth. It was late at night, but a light turned on inside, causing Draco to immediately apparate home. Over a month went by before he had the courage to knock on the door.

An unbearable two minutes went by before she answered. "Sorry, I…"

"Potter," Draco said in disbelief.

"Malfoy." She was equally flabbergasted at his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

Draco swallowed. Katherine Potter was carrying his child. Astoria's child. "I," he said roughly, "am… I am-I was Astoria's husband."

Potter shook her head and put a hand over her stomach, which was rounded slightly. "Astoria's widowed, not divorced."

"I'm sorry." His eyes were starting to sting. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid she lied to you."

Potter shook her head again, but opened the door a little wider. Her wild eyes let him know that she already had a bad feeling. "Have you heard from her? She hasn't been answering my letters lately. Are you her second husband?"

"She's…" A lump formed in this throat whenever he even thought about saying it. Before he could even try to say the word _gone_ , he burst into tears.

"Malfoy?" Potter's voice shook as he started sobbing. Awkwardly, she summoned him a box of tissues. "What's wrong?"

"She's dead!" he sobbed. The words felt like shards of glass ripping out of his throat. Potter just stood there in shock as he balled his eyes out. Eventually, he managed to collect himself, but he knew he couldn't handle explaining. As he stiffly walked into the house, he forced himself to hand Potter the letter, Astoria's last letter to him, that he kept crumpled in his pocket for the last six weeks.

Potter read the letter and sat down as she started reading it again. She put her hand over her belly as she read the letter for the third time. "But…"

"I thought she was spending all this time with Daphne," he said quietly. "They're close." They _were_ close.

It took a moment for everything to click with Potter. "So this is yours?!"

"Yes," Draco said through gritted teeth. It was easier to be angry with Potter than be distraught over Astoria. "Going to get rid of it now?"

"No!" But Potter was starting to become pale. He shouldn't have said that. She was carrying the only living piece of Astoria left. "I-I… It's just a lot to take in. I thought her husband was dead."

 _Might as well be,_ Draco thought. How many hours had he spent staring at the wall this past month and a half? How many meals had he refused? Sometimes he could cry for hours. Others, he couldn't bring himself to feel anything. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

Potter looked at him blankly. "She knew she was dying?"

"Yes." For over year now. Draco refused to accept until the day of. He kept hoping for a miracle.

Potter's eyes started to water. She was trying to hold in her tears for his sake, and Draco suddenly felt embarrassed about his crying fit a few minutes ago. They came and went, probably because he was always trying to force them down. Malfoys didn't cry.

"KAT!"

Draco jumped at the joyous exclamation as the floo roared to life. A nine year old boy jumped out of it, followed by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. At the sight of him, Black drew out his wand.

"Sirius!" Potter squeaked. The blue haired boy seemed confused at the sight of Black with his hackles raised. At this point, Draco didn't care if he hexed him. "Stop!"

"What is he doing here?" Black growled.

"He…" Potter trailed off and glanced at the boy, Edward, if the papers were correct. "He uh…"

"Was just leaving," Draco snapped. He didn't want to hear her lie for the sake of Edward. Astoria was dead. No baby was going to chance that.

As he started to head for the floo, he heard Black whisper, "I don't like you living alone while you're pregnant. Maybe you should live with Astoria?"

Draco stopped with his hand in the floo powder. Potter's voice sounded heavy when she said, "I'm not an invalid, Padfoot."

The boy yelled, "When's Story coming over?!"

Draco couldn't take anymore.

* * *

"You can't give that baby to Malfoy!" Sirius shouted when Teddy had gone to sleep. Remus looked grim but had yet to say anything. "What if he kidnapped Astoria? She's been locked in his basement this whole time, and you're next?"

"Sirius, don't." Kat couldn't ever recall seeing Malfoy cry like that. Not even when his best friend had died in the Room of Requirement. She hated herself for previously thinking Astoria had changed her mind, that she was going to leave Kat with her and her dead husband's baby.

"We could go to Grimmuald and look at the tapestry," Remus said quietly. There was no point. Kat knew Malfoy was telling the truth. How could Astoria do this?

Kat knew how. She didn't want Malfoy to grieve over her. For all they heard in their support group, she didn't understand that it was okay to grieve. Or maybe she did understand. She simply did not want Malfoy to feel that pain.

"Go ahead," Kat whispered. "I know it's true. Call it Potter luck."

* * *

Another month went by. Draco was wasting away. It wasn't until he saw Father reading the paper that he was willing to talk to his parents. The front page read _Potter Pregnant?_ Potter was seen at a maternity store with Granger.

"Astoria hired a surrogate behind my back," he said flatly. His parents seemed to freeze in unison. Draco's heart sunk when he realized Potter still had the letter. Did she throw it out?

"That explains the family tapestry," Mother said quietly. Her voice was always quiet around him now. She and Father shared a look. "Although, part of me was hoping…"

"What?" he spat. Anger and sadness. They were the only two emotions he knew now besides numbness. "That I was cheating on my dying wife? That would be just perfect, wouldn't it? Did you start planning the wedding?"

"Draco," Father warned. "Your mother is worried about you. How could she not? You don't eat. You don't sleep. You barely speak. Excuse her for hoping you had found solace in another. It seems like you died the day Astoria did."

"Sorry, I couldn't be relieved like _you_!" Draco snarled. "Well now you're stuck with a less than pureblood heir!"

Father's eyes flashed. Draco should have known better than to push him. "Yes. I am relieved. Astoria is not suffering anymore. Not spitting up blood. Not eating for your sake only to throw up an hour later. Not seizing from magical overload. Yes, I am relieved for her."

"Master Draco?" Mother flinched when he threw his full plate at the house elf, who was trying to calm his nerves by offering more wine. His parents didn't care.

* * *

 _Malfoy,_

 _I have a checkup today at St. Mungo's. It's at noon, if you'd like to come._

 _Katherine._

 _P.S. I've gotten so big! Please don't make fun of me!_

Draco gritted his teeth. He had spent the morning staring at the letter. It was nearly eleven. He didn't want to go, but he knew Astoria would want him to. She also wouldn't want him look like a slime ball like he currently was. When was the last time he had shaved? When was the last time he had showered?

Draco forced himself to get up. He would do this. For her.

* * *

Potter blinked in surprise when he entered the maternity ward's waiting room at St. Mungo's. Without saying a word, he sat next to her. In some sick gesture of comfort, she put her hand over his balled fist. He snatched his hand away so quickly that she flinched.

With a sigh, Potter picked up a magazine, only to give up and throw it back on the coffee table in front of them. "Astoria didn't want to know if it's a boy or a girl. I figured you might, so…"

Draco laughed bitterly. "Because the curse is passed onto girls. Not all. But she probably didn't want to die knowing there was a chance."

"Oh." Potter pursed her lips and then looked away to try to hide that she needed to rub her eyes. They were dull when she turned to him again. "So do you? Want to know that is?"

"Yes." It probably was a girl. And she probably would start getting sick in her early twenties like Astoria. Her magic would start attacking her body, and he would relive the horror all over again.

"I…" Potter shook her head, not wanting to burden him with whatever was bothering her. "Do you want to come over for a late lunch?"

"No."

"Katherine Potter."

Potter heaved herself up and put her hand behind her back to support herself. With a small smile, she waited for him to comment on her size, but of course, nothing came. Instead, he merely stood up and followed her into the examination room.

* * *

Luna Lovegood was her healer. Draco stared blankly as she ran tests on Potter and asked her stupid questions like if she was craving dirt or if her shoe size had changed. Some of the tension left Potter as she questioned her, so he supposed the nut job was doing more harm than good.

"I can't stop eating!" Potter laughed as she lifted up her shirt to be examined. Draco turned away. It should be Astoria halfheartedly complaining about her weight. Astoria should be beaming with joy because she was pregnant.

"And I'm sure having a baby has made it worse," Lovegood joked as she waved her wand over Potter's swollen abdomen. Draco felt his throat tighten when he saw the projection of the fetus. It turned slightly and… "It's a boy!"


	2. Family Time

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 2 Family Time

The moment after he grabbed the floo powder to go home, Potter jumped into the St. Mungo's floo station with him. She grinned when he realized too little too late.

"Oh thank goodness!" Mother smothered him with a hug as he fell out of the fireplace at home. She had yet to notice Potter. "You know I don't like it when you leave without telling me."

"I'm twenty five," Draco said flatly. He felt Potter's pitying eyes on him. Mother thought he was going to off himself.

"Yes but…" Mother froze when she saw Potter. Then, she turned white as a sheet when her eyes fell on Potter's stomach, which was the size of a quaffle. "She-she chose you."

"She told me her husband's name was Drake." Potter frowned. "I didn't think much of it…"

Mother put on her best fake smile. "Well… Let's have tea, shall we? I have so much to ask you Miss Potter."

"Katherine," Potter said shyly.

Mother beamed. Great.

Mother was excited and gushed out question after question. Father stared at Potter as if he had never seen a pregnant woman before. Draco felt numb, which was the closest to positive he could get.

"How far along are you?" Mother asked excitedly. "Draco and Astoria started trying right away. When Draco was nineteen."

"Eighteen weeks." Perhaps it was the mention of Astoria, but Potter looked incredibly sad. "I'm hoping he'll be a teensy bit early. A Christmas baby."

"Oh! Astoria loved Christmas." Suddenly, after avoiding the topic for months, Mother couldn't stop talking about Astoria. Draco couldn't take anymore.

"Excuse me." Draco stopped leaving when Potter grabbed his wrist. "What?"

She flinched at his tone. "I wanted to spend the day with you."

"Why?" he snapped.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Stupid Mother.

Potter shrugged and let go, running her hand over her belly. "I… miss her too."

Draco gritted his teeth. He wanted nothing to do with Potter. He didn't even know if he wanted anything to do with the baby. But it, no _he_ , was the last living piece of Astoria. "I'm going to bed."

* * *

 _Malfoy,_

 _Teddy keeps asking about you. And I bought some things for the baby. Please come over?_

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. I'm writing to your mother too. So she knows you're invited. It's either spending the day with her nagging you or spending the day with me and Teddy._

Draco moaned and glanced at the photograph of Astoria he kept by his bed. "What did you do to me?"

She grinned saucily and winked. The Draco in the picture, the happy Draco, kissed her cheek and laughed.

* * *

The boy's face lit up when he stepped through the floo. Potter wasn't in the living room, and Draco didn't know whether to be relieved or not at this development. He handed Draco a blue teddy bear.

"I picked it," he informed him proudly. "Kat says she doesn't know much about toys, so I can pick everything."

Draco took the bear and stared at it, not knowing what to say. Then, he looked past Edward to see blocks, more stuffed animals, and a playpen filled with more baby toys.

"Kat's making lunch," Edward went on. "She says you have to eat it or she's telling your mum." Then, he lowered his voice, "Kat's a snitch."

"I know," Draco said dryly.

"Dad says it's something called hormones." Edward rolled his eyes. "She just doesn't like it when I don't wear a helmet when I fly, but she doesn't need to cry about it."

"I heard that!" Potter called from what he assumed to be the kitchen. "Come eat!"

She made plain grilled chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomato. Everything Draco ate tasted like dirt, but for once, he forced himself to eat. He felt bad for being so rude to Potter yesterday. Mother harping on him for hours would do that to him.

"Make sure you eat at least two," Potter told them as she started scarfing down her lunch. "Or I'll eat them all."

Edward frowned. "Why'd you make so many then?"

Potter tried to hide her smile by gulping down her pumpkin juice. "Godmothers have to fatten up their godsons."

"Are you still going to be godmother to the baby?" Edward asked, unknowingly increasing the tension in the room by tenfold.

"Ted." Potter shook her head. She always seemed to be shaking her head around Draco.

Draco put down his half eaten sandwich. Astoria must have told her that. He couldn't exactly say no, could he? He hadn't spoken to any of his friends in nearly a year, not even at Astoria's funeral. Potter would probably be the closest thing the baby had to a mother.

"You're shaking," Potter said quietly, bringing him back to reality. Her green eyes were filled with concern. "Do you have a healer you want me to call?"

"No," he said thickly. "I…"

"I'll walk you to the floo." Potter sounded guilty, and Draco felt a swirl of emotions that he couldn't pinpoint. His son would never know his mother. She didn't even get to carry him. He would only know Potter… "I'm sorry…"

Draco refused to budge. Staring at the wall here versus staring at the wall in his room. What's the difference? Well, there was one big difference. The mother of the dragon, Father often called her. "I'm not dealing with my mother today."

Potter's guilt increased, causing Draco to feel a sick satisfaction. "Want to watch a movie, Ted?"

Edward grinned. " _The Incredibles_!"

"Again?" Potter whined, but she was starting to smile. "Set everything up, Ted. I'm too old and fat to be bothered." Edward rolled his eyes but complied.

* * *

Draco didn't mind the Muggle box because he didn't have to think when he stared at it. Edward was asleep by the third movie.

"Can you get me a glass of water?" Potter asked. Edward was snuggled up to her side, so she didn't want to move to wake him up. "I feel like I'm about to start foaming at the mouth."

"Eloquently put as always." Draco stiffly rose from the sofa to make the short walk to the kitchen. The house was small, almost unbearably so.

"Thanks." Potter held up the glass as if to say, _Cheers_. She drank half of it before trying to place the cup on the coffee table without waking Edward. With a sneer, Draco took the glass and placed it on the table for her, knowing full well that he would have to get it again. "I'm sorry. About before. Teddy has a hard time wrapping his head around this. He doesn't understand, and I don't expect to be godmother or anything. He's your son."

Her eyes watered, but she wouldn't let any tears fall. Draco wondered what Astoria had told her. His wife had a sick way of trying to get him to move on. "I was just thinking. That he'd never know Astoria. That you'd be his mother, not her."

Potter finally wiped her eyes. "He'll know her. I have a few pictures if you ever want to see them… Did you mean it?"

"What?" he asked stiffly, even though he knew what she was asking.

"That I'd be his mother?" Then, she turned pink and stammered, "I-I mean like his mother. I'm kind of like Teddy's mum with Tonks…"

"I can't raise him by myself." Draco clenched his fists and closed his eyes. Right now, he couldn't raise a bloody goldfish by himself. This was too much. It hadn't even been three months since… Astoria should be here. Astoria should be here. Astoria—

"Kat!" Black hopped out of the floo. "You should be resting!"

Potter raised her eyebrows. "What does it look like I'm doing, Padfoot?"

"Did you eat dinner yet?" Black demanded. He narrowed his eyes at Draco, like he was somehow starving Potter.

"We were just talking about what to order," Potter lied smoothly. "Sirius, stop acting like I'm made of glass!"

"Sirius, just pick up Teddy and let's go," Lupin said tiredly as he emerged from the fireplace. He stopped at the sight of Draco, telling him that Mother wasn't kidding when she said he was skin and bones. If the werewolf Lupin thought you were scary skinny, there was definitely a problem.

"Spaghetti and meatballs?" Potter asked, roping him into yet another meal. "The place down the street makes meatballs the size of Teddy's head."

Knowing full well that she'd "snitch," Draco reluctantly agreed.

* * *

They ate in silence. He pushed his food around while Potter ate with gusto. He tried to remember the last meal he ate with Astoria without her being sick. She used to love to eat.

"You aren't going to eat?" Potter asked.

"You can have it," he drawled. The portions at wherever she ordered from were outrageous. Even she was having difficulty finishing.

Potter rolled her eyes and heaved herself out of her seat. "I think I have some wine somewhere around here…" She bit her lip when he didn't reply. "Do you want _anything_?"

"I'm not hungry," he muttered. He hadn't been hungry since Astoria couldn't get out of bed anymore. Once and a while, he forced himself to eat out of obligation, usually when Mother was staring him down.

Potter pitied him. With a big fat, sarcastic smile, Draco dug into his food. She didn't sit back down until he actually swallowed. "Want to feel the baby?"

"No."

Now Potter was picking at her food. "You're going to be alright."

"Thanks." Astoria had said that to him. As she was dying. He had to get out of here.

* * *

 _Malfoy,_

 _I've been invited to your mother's birthday dinner, and I bet you forgot. Meet me in Diagon Alley by the Leaky Cauldron entrance to pick out her present. I'll be there at noon._

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. I'm having your baby. Can't I call you by your first name?_

Draco groaned. Mother would not be understanding of him forgetting her birthday. Well, inside she probably would, but she liked trying to make everything right by acting like nothing was wrong. He was going to have to get her something or hear about it for weeks.

And so, with every swear and grumble he could muster, Draco dragged himself out of bed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"So…" Potter wore sunglasses and a big, floppy hat, as if that would hide her identity. "I actually don't know anything about your mum. Luckily, I'm giving her a grandchild, so I got my gift covered."

"Planning on giving birth on the dining room table?" Draco drawled.

Potter wrinkled her nose as they started to walk. "No. I've still got three and a half months. I got her a world's greatest grandma mug."

"She'll hate it." Only three and a half months. Shutting oneself off from the rest of the world for weeks on end really made time flash by. Draco wanted to go home. "I'm just getting her diamond earrings."

"She'll hate it," Potter mimicked. "Get her something with the baby's birthstone. Garnet. I'm due to explode in mid-January."

"I can add, thank you," Draco snapped.

"Of course if the baby comes in December. That's…" Potter frowned as she tried to remember. "The blue ones…"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Then I'll get her the same damn thing in zircon, tanzanite, and turquoise for Christmas."

"What if the baby comes on Boxing Day?" Potter grinned smugly.

Since she wasn't falling for his rudeness, Draco was about to send her off crying with something incredibly cruel, like that she was going to be an insufferable mother that the child wouldn't be able to stand. About to. Lucky for him, Daphne appeared out of nowhere and punched him square in the jaw.

 **Thank you for the reviews Ern Estine 13624, Padfootette, and myafroatemydog!**


	3. Not her Baby

_**Warning:**_ **There is talk of past stillbirth in this chapter. It's a very sad one, but I think it really brings Kat and Draco together in their grief. Since this warning explains the major part of the chapter, it's totally skippable if you don't feel comfortable reading it. The last two chapters are much happier, I promise.**

 **Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 3 Not her Baby

"You cheated on her!" Daphne roared, tears already pouring out of her eyes. "You cheated on her as she lay dying."

"Actually," Potter tried. Daphne rounded on her as Draco shakily stood up.

Her lips curled into a hateful snarl. "That-that _bastard_ you're carrying is a result of pathetic weakness! Did you know she was dying? You _fucking_ whore! Because he's wearing his wedding ring! So obviously you knew that much! How are you going to explain to that little bastard that—"

Potter dealt with Daphne with a Hogtie Hex. Unfortunately, it did not include an apple as Daphne hurled hateful swear after swear at them. With a hurtful look that he couldn't quite decipher, Potter apparated.

"But… she didn't tell me," Daphne said softly. Mother was the only one she would listen to. What a birthday this turned out to be. Draco sent a house elf to buy the damned garnet earrings. Mother could be petty like that.

Draco rubbed at his ever-burning eyes. The Manor was silent, as usual lately. But this silence made him feel uneasy. "She didn't tell me either. She left me a letter, for after…"

"But it was a wonderful gift she left you." Mother paused to glare at Daphne. Draco had yet to bother to treat the bruise forming on his jaw. Physical pain was almost a nice change, compared to the usual pain. "Both of you."

Daphne wiped her eyes. She was about as much of a mess as Draco was. "I need to apologize to Potter."

"Really?" Draco drawled. "What about my jaw?"

But Daphne was already hooked on the last piece of Astoria. Her eyes glazed a bit as they pictured the fantasy. "Think he'll look like her?"

"Let's go." Draco just wanted to go to bed. A good twelve hour nap would do him some good. Maybe Potter could latch on to Daphne, and then, she would stop trying to mother him.

The only problem was that Potter blocked off her floo.

* * *

Draco apparated over the next day, but Potter didn't answer the door. He had no idea where anyone else in her life lived. Black had Grimmauld torn down. Two walls remained, actually. The one with his mother's portrait, and the one with the family tapestry. The magic within them would not allow them to be destroyed. He got in trouble with the Ministry for that one. Draco remembered reading about it in the paper.

 _Potter,_

 _Daphne didn't know. Now she does. Stop being so melodramatic._

 _Draco_

 _Draco,_

 _I'm not mad. I guess you can come over._

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. Tell your mum I'm sorry about her birthday._

"Like hell I will," Draco muttered. She had yet to take off those stupid earrings. With a deep breath, he grabbed a fist full of floo powder and headed over to Potter's.

* * *

"What are you eating?" he said in disgust. Potter paused with a fist full of orange balls about in inch away from her open mouth.

"Cheeseballs." Her cheeks turned a bit pink, and she threw them back into the giant, plastic tub. "I eat when I'm upset… Luna says I need to lay off the cheeseballs."

"Right… I thought you said you weren't mad." Draco suppressed a gag when she wiped her hands on her pants.

"Upset," Potter corrected.

"Why?" he asked coolly. He wasn't stupid. He knew why. Daphne was a bloody troll. Or it could be that he didn't tell Daphne, or anyone besides his parents for that matter, about the baby. It was probably the latter. Potter squirmed in discomfort. "I'm not a bloody mind reader, Potter."

Potter looked at the cheeseballs as if they could help her. "Because I wish Daphne was right."

"Excuse me?" he yelled before he could stop himself. She wished he cheated on Astoria?

"That it's my baby," Potter said quietly. "You said I'd be like his mum. _Like_ his mum. So when he's a thirteen year old little snot, he's going to be like _You're not my mum._ And it already hurts, and he hasn't even said it yet!"

Draco frowned. He's his son, so he's definitely going to say it. But… "He's Astoria's son." Draco bit his lip. Biologically. "So he's not going to say it."

Potter snorted. "He's your son. He's going to say it." She opened the cheeseball container and popped one in her mouth. "The healers told Story that I was a bad candidate. I was in that grief group because I had a miscarriage when I was nineteen. I never got over it… Anyway, she was insistent that I be the one. I didn't mind not being the sprog's mum though."

"Until she died," Draco said flatly. Who knew Astoria was such a mastermind? Lately, Draco felt like he didn't know her at all.

Potter shrugged. "That's why Sirius is up my arse all the time. He was so mad, back then. I didn't even know who the dad was. Said I was throwing my life away. Then a few… a few weeks later…"

Although the sofa was covered in junk food crumbs, Draco forced himself to sit next to her. "I'll tell Daphne to stuff it and not bring it up again."

"Thanks, Malfoy." Potter looked at all the food surrounding her. "I can't believe I ate this much in two days." Then, she grinned. "Alright, yes I can."

Draco thinned his lips. After all these years of rivalry, this was painful. "Call me Draco."

Potter stared for a moment and then pumped her fist in the air. "Wohoo! You can call me Miss Potter."

"I prefer the Chosen One."

"Ugh!" But she was smiling, at least. "Thanks Draco."

* * *

Draco occasionally saw Potter after that, when he could bring himself to get out of bed. Most of the times, it was through a manipulation of Mother's or Potter… Katherine would lie and say that it was Edward's birthday, and he was invited to the party. In Potter's seventh month, she became a bit… erratic.

Her hands became raw from washing them so much. She refused to eat any dessert or fried food, a stark contrast to the cheeseball incident. She meticulously kept track of how often the baby kicked and even dragged him to the hospital a few times when she decided that the kick count was too low, or even too high. By the fourth time, Draco had had enough.

"I need to go." Now she was starting to cry. Great. "What if he's having a seizure?"

"You just had juice." Draco was nearly whining at this point. It was nine o'clock at night. "Which has a lot of sugar… fuck…"

"What if he has diabetes?" Katherine's tear filled eyes were bulging. "What if I have diabetes?"

"You are not going," Draco said firmly. Of course that only led Katherine to charge for the floo. The emergency staff always fell for her shit because of her celebrity. This must have to do with her telling him about her previous loss. The confession must have brought on a lot of bad memories. With a growl, he grabbed his coat and followed to make an appointment with Lovegood.

* * *

"You should have told me." Lovegood was somber, not her usual dreamy, high looking self. "Kat, you know you couldn't prevent that from happening."

Katherine wouldn't look at her. "It's going to be different this time."

"Yes," Lovegood pressed. "Because what happened to your baby was very rare. It was a freak accident."

"Don't use that word!" Katherine shrieked, causing Draco to take a step back. "And if I hadn't eaten so much junk food, he wouldn't have been so active and—"

"That's not true," Lovegood said gently. "You weren't eating too much junk food, and it didn't matter how much he moved. He just moved the wrong way."

Katherine started to shake but refused to let herself cry. "He would have been born alive if I had went to hospital sooner… As soon as he stopped moving…"

"The umbilical cord broke his neck. In a way that caused him to die instantly." Lovegood put a hand on Katherine's arm, which she ripped away. Meanwhile, Draco felt his heart sink . _He would have been born alive._ Katherine didn't have a miscarriage. She had a stillbirth. Perhaps she thought that calling it a miscarriage made it less devastating. Clearly it hadn't.

Katherine shook her head, but stared passed Lovegood, at the wall. Is that what he looked like? When he sat in his room for hours on end, staring at nothing.

"I'm going to write you a prescription," Lovegood said quietly. Then, she added quickly, "It's perfectly safe. Would you like a scan before you go?"

Katherine finally met Lovegood's eye and forced herself to nod. When she lifted up her shirt, Draco saw a light pink scar at the base of her abdomen, and everything clicked as he saw the image of his very much alive son. This started when she was at seven months. That must have been when she had lost her baby.

How could Astoria do this to her?

* * *

 _Draco,_

 _I'm craving the roast we had at your mum's delayed birthday dinner. She said she'd have the house elves make it! Told you I'm the favorite._

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. I saw a foot this morning!_

Draco sighed but almost laughed. Mother adored Katherine. Father called her The Incubator.

It took a week on that potion Lovegood prescribed before Katherine went back to sending him the stupid notes. This would be the first time he saw her since the incident, and he still felt like an intruder. When he called Lovegood to make the appointment, he referred to the "miscarriage" as a loss. Lovegood must have assumed he knew the whole story. Katherine hadn't said anything since.

"Look at you!" Mother greeted her with a hug, which clearly made Katherine uncomfortable. Father looked incredibly board. "You have what? Ten weeks to go?"

"Nine," Katherine said uncomfortably as Mother put her hand over her belly. Draco found himself smirking, the closet thing he had to a genuine smile in a long time. He wondered if she regretted coming over.

"Time sure flies," Mother said quietly as she led Katherine to the dining room. "I really wish you would come over more often, darling."

"Yeah." Katherine forced herself to smile. "Draco says he doesn't like fat people."

Draco rolled his eyes, but Mother cast him a dark look, as if he was the one who made the joke. She tucked her arm in Katherine's making sure she couldn't escape. "Well I have a lot of questions for you, dearest. The baby will be here soon."

"Here we go," Father muttered. Draco had a feeling this was going to be a long dinner.

* * *

Sirius was up her ass. That was the real reason Kat wanted to come over. She was thirty one weeks along. Nine weeks from her due date. Nine! Sirius acted like she was due any minute and had a hospital bag for her house, his house, the Weasley's house, and Ron and Hermione's house. Hell, he even had one at WWW!

"I really think you should move in soon." Despite her intrusiveness, Mrs. Malfoy was less annoying that Sirius. That's how bad he was getting. "I don't think you should be alone."

"I'm not alone," Kat said dryly. "I've got the mice and the roaches to keep me company." Lucius started choking on his food.

"She's joking," Draco said when his mother's eyes widened in horror.

"I like it when Draco comes over my house. His impending arrival makes me clean the place." That time she wasn't joking. Okay. Maybe she was. About the cleaning part though. The company was nice, even though it was quiet and withdrawn. Plus, she didn't have to worry about him when he was around. She could con him into eating a meal or two then.

Mrs. Malfoy huffed. She didn't think any of her jokes were funny. "Well, you'll have to move in before the baby gets here."

 _Have to. Thanks for asking,_ Kat thought with a frown. Draco closed his eyes in embarrassment. He took his mother's meddling at lot worse than she did. "Er…"

"In a guest bedroom, of course." Lucius wrinkled his nose in disgust, but he hadn't _asked_ either. Draco sunk in his seat.

Mrs. Malfoy pursed her lips but didn't disagree. "There are a few that are mere footsteps away from the nursery. Do you have a birth plan, Katherine? Draco was born here."

 _On the dining room table?_ That was the joke Kat wanted to make, but at the word _birth,_ her heart start to pound, and her hands started to get clammy. She felt all the blood drain from her face as she immediately burst out, "I want a C-section."

Mrs. Malfoy's eyebrows shot up, and Draco gave the older woman a terrified look, silently begging her not to say anything. "W-why? It doesn't—Well it does hurt a lot, but a cesarean when unnecessary… I don't think it's a good idea."

"It's quick," Kat nearly whispered. She didn't think she could wait hours on end. She just wanted to hear that cry. Seven years later and she was still waiting for it.

Mrs. Malfoy opened and closed her mouth several times. "But-but…"

"It's her decision, Mother," Draco snapped with such malice that Kat flinched. "Drop it."

* * *

Kat wanted to go home after that but felt it would be incredibly rude, especially since Mrs. Malfoy didn't speak for the rest of dinner. At least the meal went by quickly. The last thing Kat expected was for Draco to jump into the floo with her like she did to him a few months ago.

"I'm sorry," he said once they were in the living room. "About everything. I've been a real prat."

"I think I still have one of those Potter Stinks badges somewhere." Kat didn't want to talk about what he was really apologizing for. She put a hand behind her aching back and started heading for the kitchen. Sirius always asked her if she was drinking enough water.

Draco followed. Because he was a prat. "And I suppose I need to apologize on behalf of all the women in my life too."

"Including me?" Kat filled her water glass with ice cubes. The hot flashes were the worst.

Draco took a deep, shaky breath. "I think… I think she thought she was giving you a baby too, but she crossed a line that she shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

Kat turned to face him but quickly looked away. She could have said no, but Astoria was right. She wanted a baby. At the time, she figured godmother was the next best thing. But that wasn't why she couldn't face Draco. He was too close. Close enough to make her think about kissing him. It was probably the hormones. She should buy a vibrator or something. "You don't have to apologize."

"May I…?" Draco flushed and gestured to her stomach. Of course he had to ask now. In general, he usually recoiled from her touch. Of course _he_ wanted to touch _her_ when she was horny as hell.

"Yeah, sure," Kat said awkwardly. What could she say? _No because a moment ago I wanted to kiss you, but now I want you to fuck me senseless._ It was just the hormones and because she spent so much time with him. Hell, she was having his baby. It was bound to happen sometime. Those potions Luna gave her probably didn't help. Never mind the potential low sex drive side effect…

He put his hand on her belly just as awkwardly, and Kat hoped her hand wasn't sweaty when she moved his hand to the baby's feet. She pressed his hand inwards, so the baby would kick back, causing him to gasp.

"See, it's not all cheeseballs," Kat joked.

"Y-yeah." Draco's eyes filled with tears as he pulled away. "Can I see those pictures? The ones that you have of her?"

 _Who?_ Kat thought for a moment. Oh. Astoria. One of her best friends. She shouldn't be thinking about her best friend's husband like this. "Of course. Let me go get them."

Kat rushed past him, feeling mortified. How could she think like that?

* * *

 _Draco,_

 _I've been thinking about Astoria a lot since the other night. I didn't get to go to her funeral. Daphne says she's in your family's crypt. I was wondering if I could give something to her? It would mean a lot to me._

 _Katherine_

No postscript. Draco had a feeling that she wasn't giving his wife flowers. Still, he wrote back telling her she could come over. He hadn't been to Astoria's coffin since the day she was placed in the crypt.

* * *

"Hey." She had a box in her hand that she was clinging to for dear life. Her eyes were already filled with tears. "C-can we go now?"

Draco nodded numbly as they took the long walk. The crypt was deep under the Manor under the dungeons, which he supposed couldn't really be called a dungeon. It was falsely made to look like the bottom floor. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Astoria's body was down here.

"If you're tired," he said, sounding like a coward, "I can get a house elf to do it."

"No." Katherine was clinging to the box so dearly that Draco had a feeling that she wasn't going to actually give it up. Hopefully she would change her mind soon and want to head back.

They stopped at Astoria's coffin. Draco wanted to get sick, thinking about how much she had decayed and if the cold had slowed the process. Potter put her box down and took out an urn and a framed photograph with two tiny inked footprints. _James Potter._

"I figured…" Katherine swallowed back tears. "If I'm going to look after your baby, that maybe you could look after mine."

She put the urn and the photograph on the ground next to where Astoria's head probably was before bursting into loud, noisy tears. He pulled her into a hug, perhaps to hide his own. Astoria wouldn't mind, even though he wasn't her baby.

 **Thank you Ern Estine 13624, urbanmanatee, myafroatemydog, Nataly SkyPot, jujukill, and Padfootette for reviewing!**


	4. Cheater

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 4 Cheater

 _Draco,_

 _Sirius (Teddy) is inviting you to dinner._

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. I already told them you said yes._

Dinner with Black. Wonderful. Unfortunately, Mother was still giving him the cold shoulder, as if she had any say as to how Katherine gave birth. It wasn't his place to say why Katherine wanted a "quick" birth, so he'd rather go than stay at home and get dirty looks all day. Hopefully Black wasn't feeling like, well, Black.

* * *

"Don't just throw yourself into your seat, Kat!" Black panicked, causing Edward to laugh loudly. They had barely been there for five minutes. "You'll jostle him."

Katherine raised one eyebrow, causing Edward to laugh again. "Are you going to feed me or what, Padfoot?"

Black hurried off and returned with a giant pan of lasagna. Katherine looked at it appreciatively, and then started helping herself to the string beans that were already on the table. Lupin shook his head and poured himself some wine.

"Kat?" Edward asked. "Can I bring you and Drake to show and tell next week? Or just you, I guess."

"Show and tell?" Katherine repeated. "Why don't you bring Sirius? He's got webbed toes."

"Kat!"

Edward was used to this and remained unfazed. "The other kids at school don't believe that you got pregnant without having sex."

Lupin spat wine all over the table and almost started choking. Edward was what? Two years away from Hogwarts. Katherine burst out laughing.

"T-Teddy!" Black choked, even though he hadn't started eating. "D-do you even know what sex is?"

Edward frowned. Obviously he didn't. "It's what those two cats were doing in the backyard before you hosed them." Or maybe he did. "Kat said they were trying to make a baby in my fort."

"It is very romantic in there," Katherine said loudly between laughs.

"Kat," Lupin said tiredly. "Teddy, I don't think it's appropriate for her to explain to your class how she got pregnant."

"I have pictures!" Katherine offered eagerly. She was referring to the photographs of her and Astoria, the day she was going to be inseminated with the embryo. Draco wondered what it would have been like, if he had been there. Would he have been supportive? He didn't like when Astoria talked about dying. This was her preparing for her death. He would have been a wreck.

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'm not bringing Dad again. He ate all the donuts two years ago."

"Oi!"

* * *

"I had fun." In a weird way, he did. They were back at Katherine's house, and she was putting all of the leftovers that Black insisted she took home in her fridge.

"Do you want to take some home?" she offered. "I don't think I'm ever eating again."

"No. I think I'll let you finish everything in an hour." Draco laughed when she threw a dinner roll at him, causing his heart to sink. He hadn't really laughed since…

"Are you okay?" Katherine looked concerned and utterly ridiculous, considering she was holding another dinner roll, arm poised to throw it at him.

"Fine." There was nothing wrong with laughing. He couldn't expect himself to never laugh again. But after Astoria died, he never thought he would be happy again. "I-I should get going."

Katherine grabbed his sleeve as he started to leave. With a pause, she chose her words carefully. "You know, I have a guest room too. If you don't mind Teddy's dinosaur sheets that is."

Draco swallowed at the lump in his throat and nodded numbly. For once, he didn't want to go home, where everything reminded him of Astoria.

* * *

Draco woke up the next morning to find Katherine reading the paper and was half surprised that she wasn't trying to force a mountain of food on him. His heart skipped a beat when she put a hand over her belly and pulled a face.

"It doesn't hurt." She forced herself to smile. "False labor. This is one thing I've never felt before… You're lucky. I almost decided to wake you up and go to the hospital. But I decided to crack open a book for once."

"Oh. How about I make breakfast then?" he nearly squeaked. He was used to her wanting to go the hospital for every little thing. Katherine raised her eyebrows at the thought of him cooking something. "Cereal?"

"Sounds safe." She turned the page. "Did you know Fudge is having an affair with Romilda Vane? Gross."

Draco walked over to the table slowly, balancing two bowls on one arm and the milk and the cereal box in the other. Then he realized he forgot the spoons and nearly dropped everything to turn around. Katherine laughed and pointed her wand at the cabinets. Maybe he shouldn't prepare food…

Katherine rubbed circles over her belly and tried her best to contain her laughter. The prat's lips twitched. "You know, everyone's saying that I shouldn't be alone, but I think you're the one who needs me to move in."

"Thanks." He was sure once Mother got over the other night that she was going to start pushing for it again. He tried to picture what it would be like to have Katherine living at the Manor. He wouldn't mind it actually. The baby shouldn't be shuffled back and forth through the fireplace. The only problem was that he liked coming over too much. He needed an escape from the Manor.

Katherine was waiting for him to offer. Couldn't Mother's invitation be enough? "Anyway, Daphne is taking me shopping. Want to come?"

"No." She wanted him to though. Just like she wanted him to ask her to move in. How could he be so selfish?

* * *

"Sirius signed you up for a birthing class," Remus informed her. They were in his bookstore. Sometimes, Sirius joked, _Who would have thought that Remus would be the only one of us who bothered to work?_ Sirius was an idiot.

Kat glared at him. She felt like a whale and still had eight weeks to go. Well, five if she only made it to thirty seven weeks, which was still considered full term. She really wanted a baby for Christmas. "I'm having a C-section."

"He's convinced you're going to get stuck in the elevator," Remus said dryly.

"I hate him." But Kat found herself smiling anyway. "I wonder what Draco will name him."

"You don't have any input?" Remus asked lightly. Kat shrugged. She didn't ask. "I was watching the two of you last night."

"When you should have been giving Teddy The Talk," she said as he started ringing up a costumer, who started staring. Remus glared at her. No wonder he fired her when she tried to work here a few years ago.

"You know Kat." Any precautions he was taking were suddenly out the window. Imagine that. "Draco is widowed, not married."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kat flinched at her own tone.

Remus didn't care. He was too used to the melodramatics of Sirius Black. "It means that I saw the way you two look at each other. It wouldn't be wrong if, one day, something were to happen between the two of you."

"He'll never get over Astoria." And that was okay. It hurt, but Kat knew better. Plus, she didn't have to have a physical relationship with someone if she was in love with him. In love? It was more that she was just hormonal. She would just want to be friends again after she had the baby.

Remus sighed sadly, like he was taking it a lot harder than she was. "When he's with you, it seems like he already has."

Stupid Remus.

* * *

 _Draco,_

 _Remus gave me a bunch of books with baby names. He didn't believe me when I said I couldn't read. Come over and look through them with me?_

 _Katherine_

 _P.S. Bring snacks!_

Was it bad that he hadn't thought of names yet? He almost wished that the child was a girl, so he could name her Astoria and be done with it. Katherine was going to laugh in his face when she heard Astoria's father's name.

* * *

"Carrot sticks?" she whined. Then, she jumped off the sofa, causing her to hiss in pain and rub her back. "You're lucky I have ranch dressing. I think Sirius bought me celery the other day too…"

"Right." Draco picked up a book, which had a baby snuggling with his mother on the front cover. The baby would never know what Astoria's touch felt like. "Her father's name is Hyperion."

Katherine froze with a dressing covered carrot halfway to her mouth. She looked at him like he was nuts and then shoved the entire carrot in her mouth so she wouldn't have to say anything. "I'll call him Hype."

"Please don't." Draco had yet to put down the book of the mother and her son. "I was thinking that could be his middle name."

"So you want to look through the books?" Katherine's face lit up, even though she seemed perfectly willing to let his name be Hyperion.

"Yes." Draco pushed aside the Muggle books. For some reason, Lupin sold both magical and Muggle. "I was hoping to go with the constellation tradition."

"Okay." Katherine leaned closer to him when he opened a mythology book. She didn't seem to be opening one herself. He felt his face flush at her closeness. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"No." Draco cleared his throat, but she didn't take the hint and move. Stupid Gryffindor. "Did you?"

"Nope." Katherine finally backed away. "I don't think it's my place."

 _She's his mother,_ Draco thought as he leafed through the book. Perhaps she was trying to get him to say it. He'd said it plenty of times. But it usually involved his grief over her replacing Astoria. That was his problem. He had never thought to say, "He can have two mothers."

"Yes, well…" Katherine leaned back into the sofa. "Thank you."

She only became more awkward. Since when was Katherine Potter afraid to tell him to stuff it? "I'm going to pick something ridiculous if you don't stop being so weird." She only shrugged. "Helios."

"I like it." Katherine threw her hands in the air at his snort. "What? I like animals."

"He's a sun deity," Draco said slowly.

"Oh." Again, she merely shrugged.

Draco sighed. "You're no help." He did _not_ want to involve his parents.

Katherine brought her knees one the sofa, causing Draco to hunch into himself when her knee brushed against his shoulder. Why the bloody hell was she wearing shorts in late November?

"Is that a tattoo?" he said in disbelief. Why was he even looking? A black scorpion was on the side of her thigh.

"I dated a biker two years ago," she told him matter-of-factly. "And I got this tattoo to cover up the name Butch. The scorpion was actually Teddy's show and tell least year. He wanted it to be Astoria, but she said she couldn't make it."

More like she was too sick to make it. Although it was difficulty, Draco forced himself to push the thought to the back of his mind, where it would keep him up at night.

"Why would you tattoo a man's name on your thigh?" At this point, he shouldn't even ask.

"He had a really nice bike," Katherine joked. "I wasn't right in the head for a long time. Which is why I joined that group. Astoria said I needed to cover it up with something cool."

"I can't believe she put up with you." Draco shut the book, having enough for the day even though they had just started. For some reason, it bothered him that Katherine had memories of Astoria that he didn't. Plenty of people did. He was being stupid. "Want to get dinner?"

Katherine grinned. "Do I look like someone who says no?"

* * *

Remus should know better than to tell him secrets. Sirius couldn't hold it in anymore by Christmas. Kat and Malfoy were opening presents together for the baby. Although Kat didn't get her Christmas baby, she was happier than he had seen her in years. Her spark had come back.

"She's in love with him," Sirius told Narcissa. He would have told anyone that was nearby. At that moment, it was just really obvious. Unfortunately, Remus was nearby too and didn't hesitate to smack him on the back of the head.

Narcissa looked at him as God had come down and kissed him, a mixture of shock and awe. "Really?"

Sirius glanced at Remus, who was glaring daggers at him. "N-no."

"Hmm…" Without hesitation, Narcissa took out her wand and conjured a mistletoe. Great.

"Kat! How did St. Nick know you wanted a duck hat for the baby?!" Teddy was starting to question Santa Claus, but he had yet to officially give up on the belief, thank Merlin.

Kat smiled. She couldn't wait to hold the baby! "I don't know Ted. Sirius probably told him. He writes to him every day, even in July."

"I might have sent him a note," Draco said quietly. He was starting to get excited too. The gloominess about him wasn't present much today. Probably because Teddy was around though. His eyes were red this morning. This was his first Christmas without Astoria.

Kat laughed as she felt something brush against her hair. She looked up and saw mistletoe hovering between herself and Draco. Teddy's roaring laughter filled her ears. She glanced at Remus, who was too busy trying to kill Sirius with a look to notice. Of course. Stupid dog.

Then, her eyes fell on Draco who was turning bright red. He wouldn't think this was her idea, would he? No, he was staring at his mother. "I AM NOT CHEATING ON MY WIFE!"

"Draco," she tried. Maybe she could say Sirius was just pulling a prank. Then, he might get over it.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

 **Thank you for the reviews Ern Estine 13624, rozenmiko, myafroatemydog, ScarlettMeadow123102, Nataly SkyPot, Padfootette, regulusirius, and Becky G!**

 **rozenmiko: I haven't heard of either, but I'm listening to it now! It really seems fitting for this story! I really like it. I'll have to look into that musical.**

 **Becky G: Mother's Day is next Sunday! ;)**

 **One more chapter to go!**


	5. PS I Love You

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 5 P. S. I love you

 _Draco,_

 _I'm sorry about Christmas. I'd never want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with. But it's been three weeks._

 _Anyway, you have to come to St. Mungo's. I'm having the baby, and I don't want to have the C-section without you._

 _Katherine_

 _P. S. I love you._

Draco stared at the letter for a long time. Three weeks. He had barely gotten out of bed in that time and hadn't realized. She must have canceled her appointment. Her cesarean was scheduled for a few days after the New Year.

He wasn't angry with her. Or Mother. Or Black, who she blamed. He was angry at himself for almost getting caught up in the moment.

That night, he thought about kissing Katherine, what it would be like, if she wanted to kiss him, what would happen after the kiss. He couldn't do that to Astoria.

 _P. S. I love you._ So now what? Draco fiddled with his wedding ring. He wasn't ready to take it off. And his wedding portrait was above the fireplace in his room. He never wanted to remove it. Could he really have a life with another woman with it in his room? He tried to imagine Katherine sleeping soundly in bed next to him, and Astoria smiling down on him from the portrait. It was wrong.

Draco forced himself out of bed. He couldn't think about that now. He had to go meet his son.

* * *

"I'm sorry."

Katherine wouldn't take her eyes off the machine monitoring the baby's heartrate. She was hyperventilating, but Draco wasn't sure if it was from nerves or the pain. "I-I n-n-need to get him out. He's going to die!"

"No, he's not," Draco said as quietly as he could over her panting.

"He's going to die," she sobbed. Her heartrate was skyrocketing. "Because I didn't have the C-section two weeks ago!"

Draco put his arms around her shoulders and kissed her temple. At the intimate gesture, she ceased her wheezing and stared at him. "They're going to prep you if you calm down. It's safer if you're stable."

"Your mum doesn't want me to do it," she cried.

"My mum is an idiot," he said flatly. That finally earned him a smile. "Calm down?"

She nodded and cried to herself for a little bit. After a few minutes, she leaned into his chest and was reduced to sniffles. "You ignored my letter for two hours."

He slept through the owl pecking on his window for that long? Now he really felt bad for spending an hour at home before finding the courage to go. "Idiocy is hereditary, I'm afraid."

Katherine sighed, sounding exhausted before the real fun even began. He didn't to let her go until a mediwitch offered her a potion. It was time.

* * *

"I'm sorry, about before." Now that she was numb and about to be cut open, Katherine was back to her old self. Who would have thought?

Draco ran his hand through her hair, smiling slightly when she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. He tried not to look at Lovegood, who had just pranced by with the scalpel. "I've been thinking. About his name. While you were getting prepped."

"Hmmm…" She made a face but didn't open her eyes. He looked over the sheet and then quickly looked away. She had to be at least feeling the pressure.

"Scorpius," he said quietly. "After the tattoo you got with Astoria."

Katherine opened her eyes, and he waited for her to laugh at him. With an odd look on her face, she laced her fingers with his. "I'd like that."

"Really?" he said in disbelief. He expected her to laugh in his face.

But she was smiling, and happy tears filled her beautiful green eyes. "Can I tell you a story about Astoria?"

 _Kat grinned as she got one last look at her tattoo before the artist put a protective bandage over it. "I look so bad ass! Like a professional killer who has a tragic backstory."_

 _Astoria laughed, a light twinkling sound that Kat could still hear as clear as day. "You can tell Teddy that. He needs someone to go to his show and tell. I can't go. I don't know why he thinks I'm so interesting."_

 _"Someone who wants to be friends with me is pretty interesting." Kat hopped off the chair and handed the tattoo artist her credit card. "Do you want to get some ice cream or do you have to go home?"_

 _"I have to go home," Astoria said regretfully. Kat remembered wondering why she didn't want to eat with them anymore. Now she knew. "But before I go, there's something I wanted to ask you."_

 _Kat raised her eyebrows as the artist handed her her card with the receipt, and they started to head out. "Charlie doesn't mean anything. He's just smitten."_

 _"Huh?" She hadn't realized that Charlie had a crush on her. "No… Before-before the illness, my husband and I were trying to have a baby. We even froze about a dozen embryos before-before he got sick."_

 _"Oh." Kat didn't like to talk about babies, which was why she had been distancing herself from Ron and Hermione lately. They were trying._

 _Astoria's beautiful blue eyes shimmered. "I-It was me. I couldn't carry. It would mean the world if you could for me."_

 _"Oh." Kat couldn't ever imagine getting pregnant again. In fact, she was looking into fostering or adopting. The only problem was that magical children rarely needed homes. Therefore, single mums didn't stand a chance._

 _"Think about it?" Astoria practically pleaded. "We'd raise him together. I just need a piece of my husband and me to live on."_

 _Kat shrugged, and Astoria shoved her hands in her pockets so she couldn't nervously fiddle with them. They walked in silence for a while, and Kat tried to picture herself having another baby. She'd love to do it but…_

 _"I have to go," Astoria said weakly. "You don't have to. I know it's a lot and—"_

 _"I'll do it." She didn't know how she managed to sound so confident. Inside, she was a nervous wreck._

 _Astoria hugged her so fiercely that Kat almost toppled over. Within a few months, they were having a baby._

Draco was brought back to reality with a fierce, high pitched cry. Their son was finally here.

* * *

"I could smell you from down the hall," Draco told Scorpius a few months later. The baby gave him a gummy smile and cooed. He was finally sleeping in his room by himself. Katherine used to wake up every hour and put a mirror under his nose to make sure he was still breathing. "You don't even eat that much…"

Draco jumped backwards when he was rewarded with a squirt of urine that sprayed his robe. Scorpius laughed evilly. Sometimes, for just a moment, he forgot that the boy wasn't Katherine's biological son. This was one of those times. "Damn it…"

He knew Mother put stain remover somewhere in here, but Draco wasn't entirely sure where. It was four in the bloody morning! Not to mention the shit the house elves were cleaning out of his crib. Nappy explosions, Katherine called them. Scorpius didn't seem all that fazed. Draco opened the cabinet underneath the changing table to search. He hit his head on the changing table when the tips of his fingers touched parchment. Scorpius laughed again.

 _Draco,_

 _I'm hoping you're the one to find this. But I'm also hoping that Kat is at the Manor. And I know she'll read it if she finds it first._

 _Do you know why I became friends with Kat? I joined that group to try to come to terms with my own passing, but… Even though she was so broken, she was so kind and funny and…_

 _I could see her being your wife._

 _Don't get me wrong._ _I'm_ _your wife, and I always will be. But I can't stand the thought of you in so much pain. I know it's normal and healthy, but I want you to be happy. I want you to have all the things I couldn't give you, and I saw that with Kat._

 _Please give this new life I rashly set up for you a chance._

 _Astoria_

 _P.S. I love you._

"Ha! Ah! Ha!" Scorpius kicked his feet over Draco's head and smiled when his father finally stood up after reading the letter half a dozen times. The house elves magically put a new nappy on the baby while he was reading, and Draco had long forgotten about the mess on his silk robe.

"Let's go see Mummy," he said hoarsely. Scorpius lit up at the word and promptly shoved his fingers in Draco's mouth.

* * *

"Is he hungry?" Katherine asked sleepily as she struggled to open her eyes. "I smell piss."

"No." Before Draco could back out, he leaned in and kissed her. Katherine automatically kissed him back, smiling into his lips, and was rewarded with a hair pull from their son.

She finally opened her eyes to see Scorpius laughing. "I was going to say… not in front of the baby, Draco."

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. His tears must be soaking her hair. "I'm sorry. For everything."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Katherine kissed him again. "I love you too."

* * *

 _Four years later…_

He substituted at Hogwarts once or twice a week. When Scorpius turned one, they moved into Katherine's house in Cokesworth and got married a year after that. She homeschooled him now, and life couldn't be more perfect.

"Daddy!" Scorpius yelled as he stepped through the floo. The boy, who was his image with Astoria's personality, ran to him while waving a book in the air. "Look what I readed today!"

"What did you read?" he asked excitedly. Katherine leaned in the doorway with a small smile. Draco could faintly smell dinner burning as he scooped his son up. Within a few moments, she yelled and ran for the kitchen. Smoke was starting to billow out.

Scorpius showed him a book with a grumpy looking dragon on it. "Mummy said Mama gives it to me."

Astoria had a Gringotts vault full of books, birthday presents, and letters for up until Scorpius turned seventeen. There was even a letter left for the boy's wedding day. Draco was reluctant to give him the later letters. The handwriting was becoming shaky as her health deteriorated, but Katherine figured he'd understand at the age they were due for.

"Really? I don't think I've read this one." Draco swallowed at the lump in his throat. More than five years had gone by, and the grief still occasionally hit him. "You'll have to read it to me after dinner."

Katherine emerged from the kitchen, looking very disappointed. "We're ordering pizza."

"Yay!" Scorpius jumped out of his arms and ran off to go get the phone.

Katherine pointed an index finger in the air. "I saved the cake though."

"I'm sure you did," Draco said dryly.

"Is that a fat joke?" she asked, but she was smiling. She occasionally halfheartedly said she needed to lose a stone, but no effort was ever made. "Welcome home. What did you teach today?"

She hugged him, and Draco kissed the top of her head. "Potions again. I think the professor is having a break down."

Katherine snuggled into his chest as Scorpius ran back into the living room with the phone, proclaiming that he wanted his pizza to have everything on it, even though Draco knew he would end up picking everything off and eating it plain. They needed to get a dog.

"Are you going to call them?" Katherine asked.

"No!" Scorpius yelled. He had a shy side.

"Why not?" she asked with false outrage.

"Mummy!"

Katherine picked him up and smothered him with kisses until his laughs turned into pleas for help and exclamations that he had to "use the potty." Then, she finally ordered the pizza. Draco sighed happily and went to go clean up the mess she made in the kitchen.

* * *

That night, Katherine snuggled up to him in bed. Ever since he kissed her all those years ago, she hadn't wanted to let him go. Draco stared sleepily at their wedding portrait, which hung above the fireplace in their bedroom. On his nightstand was a picture of his wedding day with Astoria. On hers was the picture of her and Astoria the day they did the in vitro fertilization. Next to it was a picture of himself, her, and Scorpius the day he was born.

"I want to start looking at houses," she announced out of the blue. "I think if Scorpius went to kindergarten, he might not be so shy. But I want him to go to a good school."

This was her mother's childhood home. Draco didn't think she would want to move out ever since they moved back in. "Really?"

"And…" She rested her chin on his chest and smiled shyly. "I was thinking."

"Don't to that," Draco said automatically, causing her to swat at him playfully.

"Astoria said you guys had a few more embryos." She looked at him hopefully.

Draco's eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline. She wanted to have another baby with him and Astoria. He wondered what his first wife would say to that. And she left all the gifts and letters for one baby, not two.

And what if Katherine got anxiety again? He didn't want Scorpius to see her like that. But once she was on medication, she was fine… Luna would be more than willing to treat her again. And there was something else that automatically came to mind.

"I don't want to have another baby with Astoria." As he said it, that painful lump formed in his throat, and his wife's face fell. "I want to have one with you."

Katherine lit up and practically jumped on him.

* * *

 _September 1_ _st_ _, 2017_

"Mummy!" little Astoria wailed. "I wanna go with Scorp!"

"And leave me?" Kat asked, trying her best to sound offended. Her daughter looked just like her but was every bit Draco in personality. At least, that's what she told herself when the six year old acted up.

"YES!"

They were at the train station, and Kat tried to watch lovingly as Draco helped Scorpius load up his trunk. How was she going to last until Christmas without him?

"Not to worry." Teddy scooped Astoria up and tucked her under his arm. Her little girl shot her arms out as if she were flying like Superman. "I need an assistant."

"YAY!"

Kat frowned as Teddy started walking away with Astoria. "Hagrid's assistant needs an assistant?"

Teddy blinked as if it were obvious. "What else am I going to feed to the blasted ended shrewts?"

"MUMMY!"

"I'm sorry." Kat shrugged as if to say, _It's out of my hands._ "Aunt Daphne's Charms professor. Maybe she can save you."

"MUMMY!"

"She's not coming, is she?" Scorpius asked worriedly as Kat pulled him into a hug.

"No." Kat didn't want to let him go. "I'll keep her for another week or so."

"Mum," Scorpius somehow managed to gasp. "I can't _breathe._ "

Kat finally let go, although she was pouting. "Write to me tonight, okay?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mum."

Draco clapped him on the shoulder, looking misty eyed. Then, he took one of Astoria's letters out of his breast pocket. "Here."

Scorpius took the letter slowly and then clung to it for dear life. "Thanks, Dad."

Draco nodded numbly, and as soon as the train whistle went off, he grabbed Scorpius and hugged him just as tightly as Kat just did. He only let go as the train started to move, meaning Scorpius had to run and jump, grabbing Teddy's outstretched hand. Teddy charmed Astoria's shoes, making her bounce off the train. Her melodramatic wails filled the crowded station.

"Alright, c'mon. We'll go get ice cream." Kat smirked when Astoria immediately stopped crying.

Draco kissed her cheek and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I love you."

Kat grinned. It was hard to believe they were once rivals. "I love you more."

 **Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter myafroatemydog, Ern Estine 13624, Nataly SkyPot, Padfootette, and Rose Lily Potter** **!**

 **Thank you for all the reviews and sticking with this story!**

 **Happy Mother's Day!**


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